Attorneys in the murder trial for former Albuquerque police officers Keith Sandy and Dominique Perez fought long and hard Wednesday over whether the rifle Perez used to shoot James Boyd in March 2014 would be allowed as evidence.

State Prosecutor Randi McGinn wanted the rifle, along with the “aim point sight,” which is the lens on the rifle, to be entered as evidence.

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“The purpose is to have the scope come in, put it on the rifle in approximately the same position as this photograph that I've shown the court so the jury can see how it works,” McGinn said.

McGinn wanted Geoff Stone to use it during his testimony Wednesday.

Stone was the APD homicide detective who investigated the shooting. He wrote an 885-page report of what happened that day, based on lapel videos, photos and interviews.

Defense attorneys Luis Robles and Sam Bregman objected because both the rifle and the scope had been released from evidence and had been in use by other APD SWAT officers for about two years.

“For all you know, a number of officers could have used that rifle before you took it into custody?” Robles asked Geoff Stone.

“Correct,” Stone responded.

Robles and Bregman argued that the rifle and scope could have been altered throughout the two years they were in use, therefore they weren’t an accurate representation of the weapon Perez used the day of the shooting.

Judge Alisa Hadfield agreed when it came to the rifle only.

“The serial number is located on the rifle. There are too many parts that are exchangeable and different, so the rifle won’t be admitted,” Hadfield said.

When it came to the scope, though, Hadfield ruled that it couldn’t be altered as easily, so she did it allow it to be entered as evidence.

Jurors also watched lapel videos from two APD Open Space officers who were the first to arrive after a neighbor reported Boyd was illegally camping in the Foothills in March 2014.

Within minutes of the officers arriving, they are heard asking Boyd to put the knife down.

“Officer McDaniel or Officer Hernandez, were they within arm's length of Mr. Boyd at the time he pulled out these knives?” McGinn asked Stone.

“Yes,” Stone said.

“Did Officer McDaniel shoot Mr. Boyd?” asked McGinn.

“No,” responded Stone.

McGinn also showed photos of Perez and Sandy wearing all of their equipment and weapons.

Stone said he used the photos to compile his report on the investigation, but said it was the criminalistics investigators who took the photos, and Stone was not present when they were taken.

“You have no independent, personal knowledge that in fact, that was Keith Sandy's gun that he was wearing, do you?” asked Bregman, Sandy’s attorney.

“That's correct,” responded Stone.

McGinn also wanted to play a portion of Stone’s interview with Sandy, which was done two days after the shooting, and after Sandy had hired an attorney.

The defense objected, and instead Stone read from the transcripts of the interview.